Important: Don’t break clichés for the sake of it. The positive interpretation of a cliché is a timeless wisdom (or a timeless threat). You can make your story meaningless by chasing originality without substance. Instead, ideally, if your *theme* is original enough, if your theme is already different enough from what has been done before, then you will naturally gravitate towards subverting established tropes. Again, not for the sake of it, but to make these tropes *consistent with your theme.* For example: In Harry Potter, his mother sacrifices herself to save Harry from death - cliché. In Orphan Black, in the penultimate episode, pregnant clone Helena wants to sacrifice herself to save her children from life (because she’s in the hands of a bunch of mad scientists who would run experiments on her children, just like they did on her). With Orphan Black featuring a cast full of clones, who are all technically the “property” of the company that created them, this twist on the classic “maternal sacrifice” trope fits the story’s overall themes.
I couldn't agree more. Really great pointers here. Recognizing what your "default is" helps with making a story that might have been seen before, feel fresh and new. I’ve often had my clients do a very similar thing that you mentioned for “think twice” to help them come up with fresh ideas, angles, and concepts!
It could be! If executed well, that could be a strong opening. Make sure the tone of this opening twist suits the rest of the story. You also want to make sure that these characters that initially appear important don't undercut the importance of the actual main characters-if readers get too attached to this cast that promptly gets wiped out of the story, that might be off-putting. Your real main cast of characters should be more compelling than this fake-out cast, since otherwise, readers might wonder why the story doesn't just follow the characters it started with.
@@graysontaylornyc I'll take that into consideration. I decided to include this twist as the prologue is a horrifying disaster so it would be unrealistic for the two protagonists to survive alone. The prologue is narrated by one of the protagonists, the next chapter by the other protagonist while the 3rd surviving character is a secondary secret villain.
Personally I get sick of hearing "(total) originality is a myth" - originality is obviously not a "myth," we're just needlessly forgiving of a ridiculous assumptions about what the word is supposed to mean, taking it to an illogical extreme. It's like saying the wheel was not an original invention because, we knew about round things, we knew about flat things, we knew about disc shaped things, and we knew things, like rocks, could roll. Like okay. You need pieces to build the puzzle, what's the mystery here? Plus people always think humanity has reached the point where we know everything there is to know by now, and it's never true. You never know, you could invent a genre. If it wasn't original we would have thought of it already.
Why is this man THIS underrated
😂Thanks! To be fair, I'm practically just getting started on RUclips. Everybody's gotta start somewhere.
@@graysontaylornyc
Important: Don’t break clichés for the sake of it. The positive interpretation of a cliché is a timeless wisdom (or a timeless threat). You can make your story meaningless by chasing originality without substance.
Instead, ideally, if your *theme* is original enough, if your theme is already different enough from what has been done before, then you will naturally gravitate towards subverting established tropes. Again, not for the sake of it, but to make these tropes *consistent with your theme.*
For example: In Harry Potter, his mother sacrifices herself to save Harry from death - cliché. In Orphan Black, in the penultimate episode, pregnant clone Helena wants to sacrifice herself to save her children from life (because she’s in the hands of a bunch of mad scientists who would run experiments on her children, just like they did on her). With Orphan Black featuring a cast full of clones, who are all technically the “property” of the company that created them, this twist on the classic “maternal sacrifice” trope fits the story’s overall themes.
Yeah, clichés do exist for a reason-and they can certainly be done well, often by giving them a unique twist that fits the story.
Every piece of art is a remix indeed! Awesome effort with this video! :)
Thanks! Glad you liked it.
I couldn't agree more. Really great pointers here. Recognizing what your "default is" helps with making a story that might have been seen before, feel fresh and new. I’ve often had my clients do a very similar thing that you mentioned for “think twice” to help them come up with fresh ideas, angles, and concepts!
It may be simple, but thinking twice really does help! Thanks for watching.
@@graysontaylornyc Oh, for sure!
omg it's oliver from broad city!!! dude you got so cute!
😆 Yeah, that's me!
How are you not so famous
Well, being relatively unknown has its advantages too. But I'm working on it 😉
im happy to be ur 70th sub! u deserve more subs
Thanks! I appreciate the support.
My first contact with your channel and I really loved it. Please keep up with the good work.
Thanks for watching! I've got a lot more videos in the works, so stay tuned.
I subscribed because I enjoyed watching this and I would love to see more of your videos
Thanks for subscribing! I've got a lot more coming soon.
this is actually rlly good advice
Thanks! Hope it helps.
you need more recognition. these are quality videos. keep up the good work!
Thanks! Glad you've enjoyed the videos-more are on the way.
How have you not got more followers? Thank you fella, great content in your videos, which I will take note of and act on in my writing 🖖🙂
I appreciate it! Glad my videos have been helpful.
great advice your given & thanks for the help & i am going to use your advice thanks again & you are a great man!!!!!!
Im new here and i love you videos ! Im a new algerian writers and you advices are gold !
Glad to hear it!
Thanks Grayson, great video!
Thanks for watching!
is butchering a dozen of characters that seem vital to the story in the very first chapter like a good twist?
It could be! If executed well, that could be a strong opening. Make sure the tone of this opening twist suits the rest of the story. You also want to make sure that these characters that initially appear important don't undercut the importance of the actual main characters-if readers get too attached to this cast that promptly gets wiped out of the story, that might be off-putting. Your real main cast of characters should be more compelling than this fake-out cast, since otherwise, readers might wonder why the story doesn't just follow the characters it started with.
@@graysontaylornyc
I'll take that into consideration.
I decided to include this twist as the prologue is a horrifying disaster so it would be unrealistic for the two protagonists to survive alone.
The prologue is narrated by one of the protagonists, the next chapter by the other protagonist while the 3rd surviving character is a secondary secret villain.
Awesome content, you got a new subscriber!
Thanks for subscribing! Glad you're here.
When is the next vid
This Saturday!
Personally I get sick of hearing "(total) originality is a myth" - originality is obviously not a "myth," we're just needlessly forgiving of a ridiculous assumptions about what the word is supposed to mean, taking it to an illogical extreme. It's like saying the wheel was not an original invention because, we knew about round things, we knew about flat things, we knew about disc shaped things, and we knew things, like rocks, could roll. Like okay. You need pieces to build the puzzle, what's the mystery here?
Plus people always think humanity has reached the point where we know everything there is to know by now, and it's never true. You never know, you could invent a genre. If it wasn't original we would have thought of it already.